It’s OK to 'Phone It In

Headphones. We’ve all got them, whether
it’s several pairs in the studio drawer, a set
forever plugged into your board, or even just
some earbuds dangling off your iPod. But
should you use them for mixing? While there
will always be arguments for and against
it, they sure can get you pretty far along in
the process—provided you take a few small
things into consideration.

Gauge the Flatness
The most important thing to consider when
mixing with headphones is how flat their EQ
response is. For example, Apple lists a frequency
response of 5Hz–21kHz for its In-Ear
Headphones. But does that mean you’ll hear
the bass, mids, and highs evenly? Actually,
no. Because if you look at the frequency-response
chart, there’s a dip just below 1 kHz
and a notch down around 8 kHz, then a sharp
drop-off after 10 kHz.

The funny thing is, I actually like Apple’s
earbuds and often reference mixes through
them. It’s quite useful to hear your mix the
same way countless listeners will. Sure,
they’re not a $500 pair of amazing ’phones,
but to me they represent the common
denominator of headphones.

Do Some Critical Listening
Once you’ve checked out your headphones’
frequency response, you’ll need to listen to
music you know very well on them. It’s important
to take the time to get a feel for them
and identify any deficiencies they may have.
If you listen to mixes you know are great and
they sound bassy in the new ’phones, then
you obviously know you have a bass-heavy
set. That means when you’re mixing your
material, you may need to slightly under-mix
the bass. The same applies for mids and
highs. If your cans are dull on the top, you’ll
need to make your mix a little brighter than
usual. Again, you’ll have to work with what’s
in your ears and in your head.

I happen to use two different sets of
Ultrasone closed-back headphones in my
studio. The Pro 750s (shown at left) have a
titanium driver, wide bottom, and very balanced
mid and top. The Pro 900s have a
slight top-end boost, which I bear in mind
when mixing. Both pairs are very comfortable
to work with for long periods, and I
know their characteristics very well.

It’s All in the Deets
Overall, my ’phones are great for super detail
work—meaning the application of fine EQ,
reverb, and delays—as well as any delicate
panning and level balances. I will, of course,
always refer to my studio monitors for a final
mix, but I purposely mix on monitors that
are not that detailed. This because I like to
take into consideration what everyday listeners
will hear. I have my Ultrasones sitting on
the console next to me, and I constantly flip
them on and off. Just remember to mute
them when they’re not in use so you’re not
fooled by any of the bleed.

Engineer/mixer Gary Tole (Bon Jovi, Nile
Rodgers, Eric Clapton) also uses headphones
daily for his studio work. “In the last couple
of years I have come to depend more on a
set of Grados for mixing,” he says. “Being
a freelance engineer, I move from place to
place and find myself needing a good, consistent
reference point. I find the Grados
provide that. With most consumers using
earbuds to listen nowadays, I find I have to
use headphones in the mix to make sure that
it’s relative to how other people are listening
to my mixes. I did always reference to headphones,
but these days I depend on them
more than ever. I find them to be very revealing
as far as balance and overall sonic footprint
goes. I wouldn’t mix without referencing
a good pair of headphones these days.”

Open-tuning guitar master Sam Broussard
(Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys) happens
to use several pairs of headphones
in his home studio, including a $20 pair of
Koss UR29s and a set of Grados. “A few
years back, I got some Grado RS2s,” said
Broussard. “I was working on some [Linda]
Ronstadt stuff with engineer Gary Paczosa,
and he made my low-tuned Gibson acoustic
sound so good that I went out and bought
the mics (a matched pair of Neumann KM
54s) as well as the headphones he used. The
Grados are pricy, audiophile home-system
stuff. Also, they’re not completely closed can,
so they’re unsuitable for recording quieter
acoustic stuff, thus the Koss set—which is
great for when I have to be quiet while editing
or other stuff. However, for mixing, I can
only get close—which isn’t bad.”

If you choose to mix with headphones, you
don’t have to spend a fortune to get a good
pair. But make sure you take the time to get
to know them so you can compensate for their
inherent strengths and weaknesses. Reference
them with your monitors, and between the
two you should be good to go.

Rich Tozzoli
Rich is a Grammy-nominated engineer and mixer who has
worked with artists ranging from Al DiMeola to David
Bowie. A lifelong guitarist, he’s also the author of Pro Tools
Surround Sound Mixing and composes for the likes of Fox
NFL, Discovery Channel, Nickelodeon, and HBO.

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